The Lessons Learned Throughout Life
by Monkey DeRanged
Summary: Harry Potter had never been a normal boy. His family called him a freak, and his peers called him the Chosen-one. While at the Dursley residence during Summer Holiday, an accident occurs, that will change Harry's life. Will a certain Potions Master be able to help the young Harry Potter, or will he leave him to suffer due to the jealously of an unsettled and still haunting past?
1. Chapter 1

Hello. So this is my first Harry Potter fanfiction. I once tried to write one, but my 'friend' said I didn't know how the fandom worked. So, if you liked this please prove her wrong and leave me a review!

I don't own anything.

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Harry Potter flinched as Vernon Dursley, a big round man with a forgetful face, hovered above him. His uncle growled, and looked back at the kitchen in anger.

"You foolish little freak! Look what you've done to my house! For this you shall be punished!" Vernon's voice was loud and rough with anger that pulsed through his every vein. He looked down on the small boy, and brought his fist up. Vernon hit the Potter boy once, sending him to the floor in seconds. Vernon continued to hover over him.

"Not in the kitchen dear!" Petunia Dursley said from her seat at the table where her and Dudley were sitting. Dudley was too busy stuffing his face and watching the tv on the counter to notice the events that had taken place.

The kitchen was a wreck due to the cooking accident that had happened not long ago. Harry was going to sturr the mix of gravy on the stove, but with his three relatives barking at him to go faster, and to get them drinks, he had forgotten, and stirred the mix too late. The hot, boiling mess had went all over the stove, and the nearby counters, some even flung to the refrigerator across the kitchen. Harry, who had been standing over the mix, yelled as the hot mix hit him in the face as it exploded. Then it all was a blur, and suddenly he was in the floor being hit by a man who was 4 times his size. Harry Potter was small for a 12 year old, but next to his elephant of an uncle, he looked even smaller.

Vernon stopped, his fist in the air remained there shaking slightly with anger, and turned to look at his wife.

"As you wish dear" he said, his voice lowering for her. He then bent over Harry, and picked him up by the neck, his sharp fingernails digging into the dirty, unwashed skin, as he carried Harry into his room. Only the best for a freak like Harry Potter, he thought as he walked down the hall, and to the small room under the stairs. He shoved Harry into the door, and started hitting the skinny boy. He hit him, 5, 10, 15 times until his anger was spent.

Vernon, breathing heavily, opened the cupboard door, and with what was left of his energy, hurled the Potter boy into the room. Harry's unconscious body flung into the wall, before it dropped down with a soft bang. Vernon quickly shut the door, and locked all 5 locks before walking back into the kitchen. His wife had started to clean up a little bit, but he went over to her and stopped her.

"No, no dear. Make the little freak do it later" Vernon said, still breathing heavily. His wife smiled, and looked at him.

"Oh Vernon, you're so handsome, and strong" she said, and leaned into kiss his crusty lips, above his double chin. He smiled after they finished, and quickly picked up his briefcase by the door.

"I'll see you later loves" he said cheerfully as he walked out of the door. Nothing excited Vernon more than teaching his freak of a nephew a lesson before work. Whistling, he went to his car and drove off.

In his cupboard Harry groaned, and in his hazy state he did not notice the small popping sound that echoed through the small, empty room.

"Mr. Harry Potter, what has they done to you?" Dobby, the small house elf muttered as he looked at the boy. Dobby had been keeping an eye on Harry since he freed him. Dobby owed his life to Harry Potter. "Stupid muggles!" Dobby said with anger, and tried to get himself to think of a solution. With a fierce cry, he popped away. He left to get the only man Dobby knew who could probably be of any help, Severus Snape.

Severus Snape woke up with a start, the first thing he noticed was that his estate alarms were going off. Someone was in the living room. He quickly got up out of his king sized bed, and promptly put on black robes. He was not afraid, for anyone stupid enough to try to break into this house must have a death wish. Especially at this time in the morning. Severus looked at the clock on the wall as he passed through his small kitchen. Ok, so maybe 8:30 wasn't necessarily early, but still, the threat remained. Severus took out his wand as he walked into the big living room, but lowered it when he saw the small, ugly house elf he knew as Dobby.

"Dobby, explain yourself! Why are you in my living room on the first day of the summer holiday?" Severus's voice was deep, and demanding. He reserved this voice for his classroom, as it was known to scare trouble out of any young witch or wizard. Dobby noticed his angry demeanor and started to shrink back upon himself, but then he remembered why he was here.

"Mister Severus, Dobby has come because he needs your help sir" Dobby said with as much confidence as a small house elf could have faced with Severus Snape, the dungeon's worst nightmare.

"Why, of all people, would you need my help?" Severus asked with the anger still evident in his voice.

"It's Harry Potter sir. He needs your help." Severus inwardly groaned. He thought he was rid of Potter for the summer. Damn his bad luck.

"Why didn't you go to McGonagall, his head of house, or even Dumbledore?" Severus asked quietly, still peering over the house elf.

"Something told Dobby to get you sir. Mister Harry Potter needs your help sir." Severus sighed, and quickly turned off the alarms that were still going off. He looked down at the pleading house elf, and sighed.

"Fine! Take me to him" Severus said, anger gone. He hoped this wouldn't ruin his summer.

Harry Potter was still unconscious when the pair arrived. Severus had to bend in the small room to keep from hitting his head, and he looked down at Harry in silence. Severus cursed Harry Potter. What had they done to the foolish boy? He looked over the bruises forming, but Severus knew he couldn't do anything in the small cramped space.

He looked down at Dobby who was kneeling beside Potter, and his anger intensified.

"Go get Dumbledore, and Mcgonagall. Explain to them what happened and tell them to meet me back at my estate. I will take care of the muggles, and Mr. Potter and I will be there shortly." As Severus finished Dobby took one last look at Harry Potter and then popped off to do as he was told.

Severus cursed his bad luck. He thought being a spy for the light would save him from dealing with these stupid, careless, events, but he was wrong. It made people want to trust him, which was never good. People trusting him always ended up with him being forced into doing something he didn't want to do.

He looked back down at Harry Potter and sighed. He quietly noticed how much Harry looked like his mother, Lily, who was once the love of his life. Anger riled up inside of him again. How dare anyone hurt the child of his beloved Lily. He growled and turned to the small door.

Severus could hear commotion outside. There was a constant noise, and Severus guessed the television was playing.

"Alohomora" Severus whispered as he pointed his wand toward the door, and he waited as he heard several locks open. How many locks did they need to keep the Potter boy in here? Severus wasn't shocked with what he saw, but the others in the house were.

Petunia still sat at the table with her son, and jumped when the tall figure walked into the room. She recognized him quickly though, and pulled her son to stand behind him.

"Petunia, how unpleasant to see you" Severus began and hid a smile as she cowered in the corner of the messy room.

"What are you doing here you freak? Get out of my house! I'll call the cops!" Her voice was shaky with fear, but there was a hint of anger.

"How dare you touch him! You bring shame to your sister and her family! You are a disgrace of a woman. You were trusted" Severus started, but Petunia cut him off.

"We never wanted him! My sister and your lot are freaks! Just like him! He deserved what he got!" She yelled and Severus came closer to her. He pointed his wand at her, and she shook uncontrollably with the fear that was evident on her face.

"I should call the police on you" Severus said, but stopped as he heard a soft groan from the hallway. Potter must be coming to, he thought, and backed up. "This isn't over. Potter will never be back" He said ending the conversation quickly, as he backed out of the room, wand still pointed at them. He cursed his lack of time, and his bad luck once more as he walked back into the small cupboard where he had left Harry.

The boy was moving slightly, and groaning. Severus picked him up quickly, noting how little he weighed, and quickly apparated to his private estate, where surely Dumbledore, McGonagall, and the house elf Dobby were waiting.

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Thanks for reading! If you liked it, and want me to continue please leave me a review.


	2. Chapter 2

Hello! Thank you for the amazing reviews, favorites, and follows. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and continue to review so I know to continue this.

I don't own anything.

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Albus Dumbledore paced the familiar floors as he nervously waited for Severus and young Harry Potter. The light wood floors of Severus's private housing quarters were always clean, but tonight Albus sensed something dirty, and it wasn't the floors. He jumped slightly as a quiet pop sounded throughout the large room. Albus turned around quickly, but sighed when he saw it was only the house elf Dobby, and his dear friend for many years, Minerva McGonagall.

Minerva looked at Albus with deep worry, and he nodded. She sat down on the nearby dark leather couch, and Albus continued to pace. Dobby was standing nervously where he appeared, and he was fidgeting slightly. The three of them waited in tense silence until another pop sounded throughout the room. Minerva got up, and Albus stood still as they watched a tall Severus Snape enter the room, with a small and unconscious Harry Potter.

"Severus," Minerva began as she walked toward them, her light eyes were focused on the bruised Harry, and the sight stopped her train of thought.

"Follow me into my medical bay" Severus said and walked down the hallway and to the left slightly. Unknown to many, Severus Snape was not just a Potions Master, he was also a Medical Master as well. He had trained for many years, his mother was his teacher as a child, and later he continued his schooling for it. His mother had put the medical bay in when Severus was just a young boy. When his parents moved away, and he inherited the house, he kept it, and he used it as his own.

The lights turned on automatically as he entered the small room. Severus laid Harry down on the bed in the room, one he'd been in many times, and started to better observe him.

"What happened?" Albus grunted from the doorway of the medical bay. Minerva and Dobby had followed him into the room, and were each leaning concerned on the far wall, as to not get in the way. Albus stopped at the door, and watched with a sad, and guilty look.

"I don't know the full story. I was not the one who found him first. Ask the elf" Severus muttered as he took out his wand. He muttered something under his breath, and his wand beamed a light pink. The magic was soon surrounding Harry, as it scanned for any injuries, known or unknown no matter the time period, the young wizard had. Severus watched as the quill and roll of parchment on the nearby counter started writing, and he turned to Dobby, still fidgeting nervously on the wall.

"Dobby, what happened?" Albus asked and Dobby squeaked.

"I's do not know Mister Dumbledore Sir. I's wasn't there either. I has been watching over Mister Harry Potter since he freed me and Dobby sensed something had gone wrong. So I went to check, and Mister Harry was out cold" the elf said still fidgeting. Albus still was not sure what had happened.

"Those damn muggles" Severus said and Albus turned to him.

"You think they are responsible?" Albus asked with anger.

"Yes, they are responsible. I don't know what happened, but I know they had something to do with it" Severus said, and looked at Albus angrily. "Why did you send him there?"

"There was no other option Severus. The blood wards have kept Harry safe all these years" Albus began, but Severus cut him off.

"Other wards would have done just as well, we both know that Albus. You sent him to a place he was unwanted. It wouldn't surprise me if it'd been happening all his life." Severus stopped after admitting that hidden thought out loud. Had this been happening all of his life?

"Enough, both of you!" Minerva said loudly "There is no use arguing about it. We'll just have to ask Mr. Potter when he wakes up. Now, what is wrong with him?" She asked, anger and fear still present in her voice.

Severus sighed and moved away from the bed. He had finished scanning the boy a few moments ago, and the quill was still writing feverishly. Severus went over to the counter and watched as the quill wrote. Several words popped out at Severus as he glanced at the writing, including 'undernourished bruised, broken". Severus sighed, what was he getting himself into?

They stood in silence as the quill continued to write, and then Severus heard a groan from the bed. The other three peered at the bed, but no one moved. Severus was the only one who walked toward a groaning, wiggling Harry.

Harry opened his deep green eyes, and noticed the tall white ceiling above him. It was then he felt the pain. He groaned louder, but didn't look around the room. His eyes were forced shut from the severity of the pain, and tears came to his eyes slightly. Where was he?

Harry heard footsteps coming toward him, and he forced his eyes open. As he did so a few tears leaked down his cheeks. He struggled as he tried to sit up, but he had no strength to do so. He felt himself lying down, and recognized the comforts of a bed under him. Suddenly the back of the bed was propped up, and Harry's eyes opened wide in surprise and fear.

Severus Snape stood before him with an emotionless face. The wall behind him was as white as the ceiling, and Harry gritted his teeth through the pain.

"Snape, what am I doing here? What did you do to me?" Harry all but screamed, and Severus stopped at the bed, and frowned at the boy.

"It's Professor Snape to you Potter, and I did not do anything to you. Those muggle relatives did this, if you don't remember. You are at my private estate. Your house elf thought it necessary to come get me to help" Severus muttered and watched as Minerva walked toward the bed.

Harry noticed the movement and turned. When he saw her his anger was gone.

"Professor McGonagall," Harry began, but she stopped him.

"Harry, Professor Snape is trying to help you. It would be best if you keep your anger at a minimum. Besides, it's not him you should be angry at" She said with a firm tone.

"Sorry" Harry muttered feeling guilty, he then saw movement from the other direction and he turned to find Headmaster Dumbledore coming toward his bed.

"Harry, do you remember what happened?" Albus asked, and Harry stiffened. Severus watched in silence as Harry closed himself off. Harry nodded, but didn't say anything.  
"What happened Harry?" Minerva asked gently, and Harry almost said something, but he stopped short. Why did they care? They just wanted him to save their world, that's all they cared about. Harry shook his head, and Minerva looked puzzled. Never before had Harry done this to her.

Severus stepped toward the boy again, he knew how to get him to talk.

"Listen here Potter" Severus started sternly. "You are going to tell us what happened, or I'm going to perform legilimency on you" Severus threatened, but Harry was unfamiliar with the concept, so he shrugged.

"What's legilimency?" He asked Minerva, and she stopped glaring at Severus to answer his question.

"It's forcing yourself into the mind of others to see their thoughts and memories" she said quietly, and Harry stiffened.

"You can't do that" He began and Severus smiled.

"Oh I can Potter, and there's no way to stop me because you're just a child. You don't know how to perform occlumency. Now tell us or I will do it" he threatened. Harry sighed and he knew no other way out.

"Fine. I was cooking breakfast and got distracted. Something went wrong, and I got punished for it" Harry said as if it were nothing, but Severus pushed on.

"How were you punished?" He continued, but Harry glared at him.

"Why do you want to know?" He screamed and Severus glared as he stepped closer to Harry.

"You will do your best to desist this yelling. I am trying to help you Potter, what don't you understand about that?" Sever said angrily and Harry sighed from the bed. All three adults were watching him with worry.

"Fine. I'll tell you" Harry muttered, as he accepted his defeat.

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Thanks for reading! Leave me a review if you liked it and think I should continue.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello. I wanted to update again. Haha. Thanks for reading. Leave me a REVIEW! Please!

I don't own anything.

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The three adults and house elf watched Harry closely. Severus turned and saw the quill still writing. The parchment paper must have been at least 3 feet now, what had happened to the boy that laid in front of them? Harry sighed and shut his mouth. He really did not want to say anything.

"Harry" Albus pleaded as he placed a worn hand on Harry's shoulder. Severus looked at Harry's face, he noticed the dark angry red marks that were splattered all over it, he also saw the fear and a hint of anger. Severus turned his vision down to Potter's fidgeting hand and he noticed the red marks on them as well. Severus would ask about that later, for now, he thought, it was time to get the information he wanted to know.

"I was making breakfast this morning and they started yelling at me to get their drinks and to hurry it up. I forgot about the boiling gravy on the stove top. I don't know what happened. When I went back to it, I put the spoon in and it exploded, everywhere" Harry stated. Severus noted that the marks were burns from the boiling gravy. "One minute I was standing over the stove, cooking, and the next minute my uncle was standing over me" Harry said and looked down at his too big clothes. He sighed, he had to tell them. "He punched me. Several times. I blacked out" Harry said, and heard faint cursing in the corner of the room.

He turned his head and saw Dobby, his friend. Dobby had the meanest look on his face, and Harry nervously smiled.

"Hi Dobby" Harry said, and Dobby looked at him with sadness.

"Mister Harry Potter! You had me worried" he said and came up to the bed where the three adults were gathered. Dobby climbed upon the metal table beside the bed and stood to where he could see Harry's face. Dobby smiled.

"Well, rest assured, you will not be going back to those muggles Potter" Severus said, as he walked toward the cabinet. He opened the metal door and took out a jar of a white liquid. As he turned around Albus gave him a look that made Severus stop.

"Now Severus, we can not promise that" Albus said and Severus glared at him.

"Are you kidding me? Albus, in all my years I have never had this little respect for you. You can't even be considering it" Severus said and Albus turned.

"Well, where is he going to go?" Albus said, and Harry felt 3 strong emotions inside of him. The first thing Harry felt was out of place. He sat there and watched while two adults were arguing about his living arrangements. One of the adults had showed exactly how he felt toward him throughout his two years so far at Hogwarts. Although this concerned him in every way possible, Harry felt as though he had no place arguing with the two. He then felt anger radiate throughout his body. Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the most excellent wizarding school, that houses about 400 kids yearly, is recommending that he go back to the abusive home of his relatives. Harry glared at him from the bed, and Minerva noticed. She quickly patted his shoulder, but did not say anything to go against Albus. Severus was fighting him alone. Lastly he was surprised. Severus Snape, the dungeon bat who had made his life a living hell for the last two years was sticking up for him, and trying to protect him.

Harry stayed quiet as the two adults continued to argue.

Severus was going to say something, but he looked at Harry sitting on the bed. Albus did too and sighed. He put his hand on Harry's shoulder, and Harry had to resist shrugging it off.

"Harry, my boy, I did not mean it like that. I'm just reminding Severus here that we can not promise you anything. I'm not saying you're going to go back to them, but it is a possibility. You're the safest when you are under their blood wards" Albus stated, and looked at the house elf Dobby. He was actually growling at Albus. Albus turned back to Harry and sighed "please don't take it to heart Harry. You are my number one priority." When Harry didn't respond Albus turned around and quietly walked out of the room. Minerva followed him quickly, leaving Harry with a still growling Dobby, and a shocked Snape.

Severus walked back over to the bed and opened the jar.

"This is for your burns. It will provide instant relief, and will prevent scars from forming. I will apply it," Severus rudely stated "You are not going to be clumsy with my precious medical equipment" Severus continued and scooped out the white liquid with a finger. He then wiped it on Harry's face, and arms. Harry was feeling a lot better.

"Thank you" Harry muttered, still thinking about the argument that took place a few seconds ago. Severus capped the jar and returned it to the cabinet. He then noticed that the quill had stopped writing, and that it had produced 4 feet of parchment on Harry Potter. He scanned the document for the most recent injuries and he smiled.

"Well Potter, you seem to be lucky again. You only have a few bruised ribs, and some pretty bad bruises that will hurt. However, I do have a salve to put on them. Your ribs will heal with time. How are you feeling Potter?" Severus sneered looking at the boy.

"I have a very bad headache" the boy muttered and looked down at the bed. Severus sighed, and willed himself not to care, but he did. He opened the cabinet again and pulled a jar of pills out. He took out two and waved his wand. Suddenly a glass of water was sitting on the counter beside the pills.

"I'm giving you two of these they'll help for your headache" Severus said and handed them to Harry along with the water. The boy did not need to know that it would induce sleep, besides the boy looked like he could use some rest.

Harry took them and after a minute he was fast asleep. Severus looked at Dobby and glared.

"Watch him. Come get me if he wakes up" Severus said and walked out. He also put a wordless charm on the room to tell him if Potter was awake or in distress. He then turned off the light and headed down the hallway and into the sitting room where Albus and Minerva were talking and waiting.

"Severus," Albus greeted as he walked in, but Severus glared at him before talking.

"You're really thinking about sending him back there? Albus, the quill wrote four feet of parchment dealing with all the injuries that Potter had while with them. Do you really want the savior of the wizarding world to live with those abusive fools? If he goes back there, there may not be any golden boy left to save us" Severus said mocking Albus.

"Where will he stay Severus? He can not stay at Hogwarts for the summer. His godfather is in Azkaban, I don't suppose you can think of anywhere else to put him" Albus said as his anger shot through Severus like daggers.

"The Weasley's, what's another child to them?" Severus asked, and Albus shook his head.

"They have too many children as it is now. They do not have the means to take in another, especially when it's Harry Potter" Albus said shooting down his idea quickly.

Severus looked at Minerva, and she shook her head.

"I don't agree with Albus, but I don't know where he would stay. Albus is right about the Weasley's though, they can hardly keep their children under control as is" she muttered and Severus sighed.

"Fine, he'll stay with me" Severus blurted out before he realized it. Damn that house elf! If Dobby had never came and got him this would have never happened.

"You're marked Severus, in case you forgot" Albus bitterly said, and hung his head. It's not like he wanted Harry Potter to suffer.

"It can be removed. I found the spell for it to be removed before I ever took the dark mark. I'm not stupid Albus. I know how to remove it, and I am fully capable of taking care of and controlling that monster you want to save our world" Severus said with a firm but questioning voice. It had come out before he could control it. Why was he, of all people, volunteering to keep Harry Potter? The boy was only a child. He would be under his control until he became of age. In his head he screamed at the mistake he made.

"Are you sure Severus?" Albus asked with a gleam of hope in his eyes.

"Yes" Severus said. His mouth and heart said yes, he could take in Harry Potter and teach him how to be a proper wizard. He would keep that promise he made to Lily. However, his mind screamed no. How would he be able to make up for the two years of damage that was already between them? Severus ignored his brain, and felt warmth spread throughout his body. Not just any old warm feeling, the feeling only Severus got when Lily was proud of him. His heart beamed as the warmth spread over him, covering him head to toe.

Albus smiled as he got up. "I'm glad you see it that way my boy. I really would have hated for Harry to go back there."

Realization came over Severus as Minerva smiled from the other side of the room. Albus had tricked him. Albus had wanted him to offer from the beginning, and he had fallen for it. He ignored the gleam in Albus's eye, and sat down in his black leather chair.

"Well my dear boy, now that Harry is alright, I have to leave. I have business to attend to, however I will be back in a few days. Minerva, are you coming?" Albus asked and Minerva got up as well.

"You'll do fine with Harry" Minerva said with a smile. Albus picked up the floo dust from the fireplace and threw it into the fire. The fire turned a deep green, and Albus yelled before going in, Minerva followed him quickly.

Severus sat there, thinking about what had just happened. Then he heard a growl from behind him. Before he could register any movement Severus was pinned to his chair by a crushing weight. Then a wet tongue came out of nowhere and licked him on the face.

Severus forced himself not to chuckle as he looked into the face of pure terror as his golden Irish Wolfhound, Zia, stood over him. Severus looked up at his companion and smiled.

"I didn't forget about you. I've been busy today, that's all" Severus started but the dog grunted back at him. He pushed the dog off of him, and Zia bounced on the floor with a playful nature. Severus forced himself up, and walked to the back room in his private estate. Zia followed him.

Severus turned to her and eyed her softly. Zia had food still in the bowl, but Severus took pity on her. He had missed their morning walk after all. Severus took a treat out from a bowl on a high shelf and presented it.

"Sit Zia" He said firmly, and the big, neat looking dog sat down. He feed her the treat quickly, but ran off. Zia followed him.

The charms were going off. Something was up with Harry.

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